Recently I watched Guang (光) and it deeply impacted me especially the song 抽象圖 (Abstract Painting).
If you asked me if the storyline has complexities and twists that makes me think, no. The storyline was simple but the emotions portrayed by the actors were so good and believable, especially Didi, who was acted by Ernest Chong. Ernest Chong always acted as the stereotypical Chinese gangster character and finally he had a role which is emotionally deeper.
What makes the whole scene was when they ended with this song by Quek Shio Yee, which was so impactful. After going through the emotions of the movie, and the song was so powerful and it further augments the emotions of the film.
The film and its soundtrack is so simple yet so profound. I personally think that it is profound because it is the director and his sister’s personal experiences with their older brother who is autistic. The song title is Abstract Painting, but the lyrics is thankfully not very deep and I could understand the lyrics though my mandarin is dismal.
It’s been tough for me being a good trilingualist. I can’t really read much mandarin, and my spoken mandarin is enough to just get around but not deep enough to talk about current issues or general elections. Chinese educated people who do not try to know me deeper do look down on me for not being Chinese enough.
Whenever I heard the song and understand the lyrics, I cried many times. I relate to the song a lot, and my husband and I have spoken about how I might have mild autism. I do agree with him especially reading this article from BBC and this was what I faced through my childhood and I masked my odd social skills. Though there is a disclaimer though; I am not formally diagnose so I might be wrong about certain things too.
Lyrics of the song
你的書 只有你才懂得讀
你的譜 只有你彈得出
你在笑 說你的世界沒有人關注
破了褲 你卻還是往外出
只想到 自己的滿足
帶著笑 建你的世界每一座寶庫
你不是怪物 別害怕 誰來欺負
不必為別人 丢了幸福
你走你的路 走一個 沒有遺憾的路
不要再憤怒 別在乎 誰是怪物
你不是唯一的抽象圖
邊走邊唱邊自賞 嗚嗚嗚 嗚嗚嗚
樂在你的視線 全凝固
不認輸 赢了就享受慶祝
不相信 別人的幫助
你在塗 畫你的房間把自己關住
你不是怪物 別害怕 誰來欺負
不必為別人 丢了幸福
你走你的路 走一個 沒有遺憾的路
不要再憤怒 別在乎 誰是怪物
你不是唯一的抽象圖
邊走邊唱邊自賞 嗚嗚嗚 嗚嗚嗚
樂在你的視線
你不是怪物 別害怕 誰來欺負
不因為別人說難相處
你有你的苦 吃一個沒有遺憾的苦
不要再憤怒 別在乎 誰是怪物
你是你專屬的抽象圖
邊走邊唱邊自賞 嗚嗚嗚 嗚嗚嗚
樂在你 嗚嗚嗚 我羨慕